Thursday, June 11, 2009

The Internet is wonderful, period. And just when I thought that it had nothing else to offer, it gave me satellite TV. So, how to get TV channels on my PC, you ask? Stick around as we look into three software types, which promise just that.

This software offers a view of the world with the convenience of a personal computer. The Satellite PC Box assures you more than 4,000 channels from both regional and international broadcasts. Priced at $49.95, you can save thousands of dollars on monthly bills had you opted for a cable subscription.

PROS: Variety. There’s a channel for every member of the family. Dad can watch his sports channel, mom with her home and lifestyle shows, and little John and Kelly can enjoy their cartoons.

It is also dummy-proof software. Installation can be managed by any individual. This is one fast answer to the “how to get TV channels on my PC” dilemma.

CONS: While it is wonderfully portable, it is also entirely dependent on the type of Internet connection you have. And because this is so, you may find problems with streaming speeds when in areas where your Internet connection is slow.

Now this particular software promises to turn your PC, or any other PC, into a super TV. Like iSoftwareTV, Satellite TV for PC showed me just how to get TV channels on my PC – and with over 3,000 channels at that!

PROS: Like the preceding product, Satellite TV for PC also lets you tune in to your chosen stations anywhere in the world. It’s also very easy to install. Even the non-techie lot will find installation a breeze.

Furthermore, forget signal interruptions. Unlike a satellite dish, the software cannot be dislodged by a hurricane or that random soccer ball flying into your yard. The software is also compatible with all versions of Windows.

CONS: Channel variety is lacking. Most the viewable shows are the free-to-air types, which means that your favorite channels, say, ESPN, are not on the list.

Backed by 7 years of research, the iSoftwareTV package promises its customers access to over 3,000 channels worldwide through Free-to-Air satellite technology. This means having international and regional broadcasts at your fingertips without worrying about monthly bills.

PROS: Portability. Television shows are accessible anywhere in the world – all you need is a PC or laptop and Internet connection. So, no more how to get TV channels on my PC problems. You can get TV anywhere and everywhere there is Internet access.

CONS: The site offers little information about the product and the makers. Furthermore, since this software can only get receptions from Free-to-Air channels, shows from pay networks such as ESPN, CNN, MTV, or the E! Channel may be unavailable. Also, I never saw the exact price of the product on the website.

I have always wondered just how to get TV channels on my PC. I mean, I already have a computer set up in my room and I have quite a fast internet connection. So, I thought to myself that it would be a really great idea to watch TV right from my own computer. This way, I would not have to leave my room just to watch my favorite shows. But is this really possible?

After much research on how to get TV channels on my PC, I discovered that it is indeed possible to watch TV right from my computer! In fact, there are a lot of available methods discussed all over the internet! This did not come as a total surprise to me, seeing how fast computer technology and the internet have grown over the recent years. Even Microsoft’s very own Windows Vista has features that support this functionality! So, what exactly are the options available to us, common users? As soon as I knew how to get TV channels on my PC, I quickly formulated my list of cool options.

First, you can actually choose to purchase a TV tuner card. What this tuner card does is it modifies your computer, making it into your very own personal video recorder. Think TiVo for a second here. TiVo lets you program and control the television shows that you want to watch. You can even choose when you would want to watch them – the most important feature is that you can configure your system to record whatever program you want when it comes out. This is also what your TV tuner card does in concept. The system is limited, however, because your choice of shows and channels would depend on what you can get from a terrestrial antenna. Or, you can connect to your cable service instead.

Second, you can go with a PCTV device. The device comes in either a PCI card or a USB device. Personally, I prefer the USB device because all I virtually need to do is just plug it into either my desktop or laptop and I am good to go! And the great thing is the device only costs roughly $100.

But if you want to save more, then you might want to go for satellite TV software. When I was still researching how to get TV channels on my PC, I discovered that this was the most convenient option for me. True, I still need to download the software and pay for it, of course, but the software just costs roughly $50. And yes, I do need to get a satellite dish, but this is still a worthy investment. Because with the software, I have unlimited access to over 3,000 TV channels! So, really, amongst the 3 choices, the last is certainly icing on the cake!